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REFERENCE A^<
THE
HAPPY
PRINCE
AND
OTHER
TALES
THE KING OF THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON
THE HAPPY PRINCE
And Other Tales
BY OSCAR WILDE
Illustrated by CHARLES ROBINSON
NEW YORK: BRENTANO'S
First published by David Nutt, May, 1888
Rt printed January, 1889 ; February, 1902 ;
September, 1905 ; February, 1907 ; March, 1908 ;
March, 1910
Reset and published by arrangement with David Nutt
by Duckworth & Co., 1920
Special Edition, reset. With illustrations by Charles
Robinson, published by arrangement with David Nutt
by Duckworth &f Co., 1913. Reprinted 1920
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
BY HAZELL, WATSON AND VINEY, LD.,
LONDON AND AYLESBURY.
vfl.
CARLOS BLACKER
CONTENTS
THE HAPPY PRINCE -
Page
15
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE- 41
THE SELFISH GIANT -
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
59
73
105
1 t
\ i
\
LIST OF COLOUR PLATES
THE KING OF THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON Frontis.
Facing page
THE PALACE OF SANS-SOUCI 20
THE LOVELIEST OF THE QUEEN'S MAIDS OF
HONOUR - 26
THER.ICH MAKINGMERRY INTHEIR BEAUTIFUL
HOUSES WHILE THE BEGGARS WERE SlTTING
AT THE GATES 32
SHE WILL PASS ME BY 42
His LIPS ARE SWEET AS HONEY 48
IN EVERY TREE HE COULD SEE THERE WAS A
LITTLE CHILD - 64
THE LITTLE BOY HE HAD LOVED - 68
THE GREEN LINNET -
HANS IN HIS GARDEN
THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS- - 106
"LET THE FIREWORKS BEGIN," SAID
THE KING ----- 122
THE
HAPPY
PRINCE
i !
I \
j
THE HAPPY PRINCE
IGH above the city, on a tall
column, stood the statue
of the Happy Prince. He
was gilded all over with
thin leaves of fine gold,
for eyes he had two bright
sapphires, and a large red
ruby glowed on his sword-hilt.
He was very much admired indeed. " He
is as beautiful as a weathercock," remarked
15
THE HAPPY PRINCE
one of the Town Councillors who wished to
gain a reputation for having artistic tastes ;
" only not quite so useful," he added, fearing
lest people should think him unpractical,
which he really was not.
" Why can't you be like the Happy Prince?'
asked a sensible mother of her little boy who
was crying for the moon. "The Happy Prince
never dreams of crying for anything."
"I am glad there is some one in the world
who is quite happy," muttered a disappointed
man as he gazed at the wonderful statue.
" He looks just like an angel," said the
Charity Children as they came out of the
cathedral in their bright scarlet cloaks and
their clean white pinafores.
" How do you know ? ' said the Mathema-
tical Master, u you have never seen one."
" Ah ! but we have, in our dreams," an-
swered the children ; and the Mathematical
16
THE HAPPY PRINCE
Master frowned and looked very severe, for he
did not approve of children dreaming.
One night there flew over the city a little
Swallow. His friends had gone away to
Egypt six weeks before, but he had stayed
behind, for he was in love with the most
beautiful Reed. He had met her early in the
spring as he was flying down the river after
a big yellow moth, and had been so attracted
by her slender waist that he had stopped to
talk to her.
" Shall I love you ? ' said the Swallow, who
liked to come to the point at once, and the
Reed made him a low bow. So he flew
round and round her, touching the water with
his wings, and making silver ripples. This
was his courtship, and it lasted all through the
summer.
" It is a ridiculous attachment," twittered
the other Swallows ; " she has no money, and
THE HAPPY PRINCE
far too many relations ; ' and indeed the river
was quite full of Reeds. Then, when the
autumn came they all flew away.
After they had gone he felt lonely, and
began to tire of his lady-love. " She has no
conversation," he said, " and I am afraid that
she is a coquette, for she is always flirting with
the wind." And certainly, whenever the
wind blew, the Reed made the most graceful
curtseys. " I admit that she is domestic," he
continued, " but I love travelling, and my
wife, consequently, should love travelling also."
" Will you come away with me ? ' he said
finally to her ; but the Reed shook her head,
she was so attached to her home.
" You have been trifling with me," he cried.
" I am ofT to the Pyramids. Good-bye ! :
and he flew away.
All day long he flew, and at night-time he
arrived at the city. " Where shall I put up ? '
18
THE HAPPY PRINCE
he said ; " I hope the town has made prepara-
^.' »>
tions.
Then he saw the statue on the tall column.
" I will put up there," he cried ; " it is a fine
position, with plenty of fresh air." So he
alighted just between the feet of the Happy
Prince.
" I have a golden bedroom," he said softly
to himself as he looked round, and he pre-
pared to go to sleep ; but just as he was putting
his head under his wing a large drop of water
fell on him. " What a curious thing ! ' he
cried ; " there is not a single cloud in the sky,
the stars are quite clear and bright, and yet
it is raining. The climate in the north of
Europe is really dreadful. The Reed used to
like the rain, but that was merely her selfishness."
Then another drop fell.
" What is the use of a statue if it cannot
keep the rain off"? " he said ; " I must look for
19
THE HAPPY PRINCE
a good chimney-pot," and he determined to
fly away.
But before he had opened his wings, a third
drop tell, and he looked up, and saw-
Ah ! what did he see ?
The eyes of the Happy Prince were filled
with tears, and tears were running down his
golden cheeks. His face was so beautiful in
the moonlight that the little Swallow was filled
with pity.
" Who are you ? ' he said.
" I am the Happy Prince."
" Why are you weeping then ? ' asked the
Swallow ; " you have quite drenched me."
" When I was alive and had a human heart,"
answered the statue, " I did not know what
tears were, for I lived in the Palace of Sans-
Souci, where sorrow is not allowed to enter.
In the daytime I played with my companions
in the garden, and in the evening I led the
20
THE PALACE OF SANS-SOUCI
THE HAPPY PRINCE
dance in the Great Hall. Round the garden
ran a very lofty wall, but I never cared to ask
what lay beyond it, everything about me was
so beautiful. My courtiers called me the
Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was, if
pleasure be happiness. So I lived, and so
I died. And now that I am dead they have
set me up here so high that I can see all the
ugliness and all the misery of my city, and
though my heart is made of lead yet I cannot
choose but weep."
" What ! is he not solid gold ? ' said the
Swallow to himself. He was too polite to
make any personal remarks out loud.
" Far away," continued the statue in a low
musical voice, " far away in a little street there
is a poor house. One of the windows is open,
and through it I can see a woman seated at
a table. Her face is thin and worn, and she
has coarse, red hands, all pricked by the needle,
21
THE HAPPY PRINCE
for she is a seamstress. She is embroidering
passion-flowers on a satin gown for the loveliest
of the Queen's maids-ot-honour to wear at the
next Court-ball. In a bed in the corner of
the room her little boy is lying ill. He has
a fever, and is asking for oranges. His mother
has nothing to give him but river water, so he
is crying. Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow,
will you not bring her the ruby out of my
sword-hilt? My feet are fastened to this pedestal
and I cannot move."
" I am waited for in Egypt," said the Swallow.
" My friends are flying up and down the Nile,
and talking to the large lotus-flowers. Soon
they will go to sleep in the tomb of the great
King. The King is there himself in his painted
coffin. He is wrapped in yellow linen, and
embalmed with spices. Round his neck is
a chain of pale green jade, and his hands are
like withered leaves."
22
THE HAPPY PRINCE
" Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said
the Prince, " will you not stay with me for
one night, and be my messenger? The boy is
so thirsty, and the mother so sad."
" I don't think I like boys," answered the
Swallow. " Last summer, when I was staying
on the river, there were two rude boys, the
miller's sons, who were always throwing stones
at me. They never hit me, of course ; we
swallows fly far too well for that, and besides,
I come of a family famous for its agility ; but
still, it was a mark of disrespect."
But the Happy Prince looked so sad that
the little Swallow was sorry. " It is very cold
here," he said ; " but I will stay with you for
one night, and be your messenger."
"Thank you, little Swallow," said the Prince.
So the Swallow picked out the great ruby
from the Prince's sword, and flew away with
it in his beak over the roofs of the town.
THE HAPPY PRINCE
He passed by the cathedral tower, where
the white marble angels were sculptured. He
passed by the palace and heard the sound of
dancing. A beautiful girl came out on the
balcony with her lover. " How wonderful the
stars are," he said to her, " and how wonderful
is the power of love !
a I hope my dress will be ready in time for
the State-ball," she answered ; " I have ordered
passion-flowers to be embroidered on it ; but
the seamstresses are so lazy."
He passed over the river, and saw the
lanterns hanging to the masts of the ships.
He passed over the Ghetto, and saw the old
Jews bargaining with each other, and weighing
out money in copper scales. At last he came
to the poor house and looked in. The boy
was tossing feverishly on his bed, and the
mother had fallen asleep, she was so tired. In
he hopped, and laid the great ruby on the
THE HAPPY PRINCE
table beside the woman's thimble. Then he
flew gently round the bed, fanning the boy's
forehead with his wings. " How cool I feel ! '
said the boy, " I must be getting better ; ' and
he sank into a delicious slumber.
Then the Swallow flew back to the Happy
Prince, and told him what he had done. " It
is curious," he remarked, " but I feel quite
warm now, although it is so cold."
a That is because you have done a good
action," said the Prince. And the little
Swallow began to think, and then he fell
asleep. Thinking always made him sleepy.
When day broke he flew down to the
river and had a bath. " What a remark-
able phenomenon said the Professor of
Ornithology as he was passing over the
bridge. u A swallow in winter ! ' And he
wrote a long letter about it to the local
newspaper. Every one quoted it, it was
THE HAPPY PRINCE
full of so many words that they could not
understand.
" To-night I go to Egypt," said the Swallow,
and he was in high spirits at the prospect.
He visited all the public monuments, and sat
a long time on top of the church steeple.
Wherever he went the Sparrows chirruped,
and said to each other, " What a distinguished
stranger ! ' so he enjoyed himself very much.
When the moon rose he flew back to the
Happy Prince. " Have you any commissions
for Egypt ? ' he cried ; " I am just starting."
" Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said
the Prince, " will you not stay with me one
night longer ? '
" I am waited for in Egypt," answered the
Swallow. " To-morrow my friends will fly
up to the Second Cataract. The river-horse
couches there among the bulrushes, and on
a great granite throne sits the God Memnon.
THE LOVELIEST OF THE (JUEEN'S MAIDS OF HONOUR
THE HAPPY PRINCE
All night long he watches the stars, and when
the morning star shines he utters one cry of
joy, and then he is silent. At noon the yellow
lions come down to the water's edge to drink.
They have eyes like green beryls, and their
roar is louder than the roar of the cataract."
" Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said
the Prince, " far away across the city I see
a young man in a garret. He is leaning over
a desk covered with papers, and in a tumbler
by his side there is a bunch of withered violets.
His hair is brown and crisp, and his lips are
red as a pomegranate, and he has large and
dreamy eyes. He is trying to finish a play
for the Director of the Theatre, but he is too
cold to write any more. There is no fire in
the grate, and hunger has made him faint."
" I will wait with you one night longer,"
said the Swallow, who really had a good heart.
" Shall I take him another ruby ? '
THE HAPPY PRINCE
" Alas ! I have no ruby now," said the
Prince ; " my eyes are all that I have left.
They are made of rare sapphires, which were
brought out of India a thousand years ago.
Pluck out one of them and take it to him.
He will sell it to the jeweller, and buy food
and firewood, and finish his play."
" Dear Prince," said the Swallow, " I cannot
do that " ; and he began to weep.
" Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said
the Prince, " do as I command you."
So the Swallow plucked out the Prince's
eye, and flew away to the student's garret.
It was easy enough to get in, as there was
a hole in the roof. Through this he darted,
and came into the room. The young man
had his head buried in his hands, so he did
not hear the flutter of the bird's wings, and
when he looked up he found the beautiful
sapphire lying on the withered violets.
THE HAPPY PRINCE
"I am beginning to be appreciated," he cried;
" this is from some great admirer. Now I can
finish my play," and he looked quite happy.
The next day the Swallow flew down to
the harbour. He sat on the mast of a large
vessel and watched the sailors hauling big
chests out of the hold with ropes. " Heave
a-hoy ! ' they shouted as each chest came up.
" I am going to Egypt ! ' cried the Swallow,
but nobody minded, and when the moon rose
he flew back to the Happy Prince.
" I am come to bid you good-bye," he
cried.
" Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said
the Prince, " will you not stay with me one
night longer ? :
" It is winter," answered the Swallow, " and
the chill snow will soon be here. In Egypt
the sun is warm on the green palm-trees, and
the crocodiles lie in the mud and look lazily
THE HAPPY PRINCE
about them. My companions are ouilding
a nest in the Temple of Baalbec, and the pink
and white doves are watching them, and cooing
to each other. Dear Prince, I must leave you,
but I will never forget you, and next spring
I will bring you back two beautiful jewels in
place of those you have given away. The
ruby shall be redder than a red rose, and the
sapphire shall be as blue as the great sea."
" In the square below," said the Happy
Prince, " there stands a little match-girl. She
has let her matches fall in the gutter, and they
are all spoiled. Her father will beat her if
she does not bring home some money, and
she is crying. She has no shoes or stockings,
and her little head is bare. Pluck out my
other eye and give it to her, and her father
will not beat her."
" I will stay with you one night longer,"
said the Swallow, " but I cannot pluck out
THE HAPPY PRINCE
your eye. You would be quite blind then."
" Swallow, Swallow, little Swallow," said the
Prince, " do as I command you."
So he plucked out the Prince's other eye,
and darted down with it. He swooped past
the match-girl, and slipped the jewel into the
palm of her hand. " What a lovely bit of
glass ! ' cried the little girl ; and she ran home,
laughing.
Then the Swallow came back to the Prince.
" You are blind now," he said, " so I will stay
with you always."
" No, little Swallow," said the poor Prince,
" you must go away to Egypt."
" I will stay with you always," said the
Swallow, and he slept at the Prince's feet.
All the next day he sat on the Prince's
shoulder, and told him stories of what he had
seen in strange lands. He told him of the
red ibises, who stand in long rows on the
31
THE HAPPY PRINCE
banks of the Nile, and catch gold-fish in their
beaks ; of the Sphinx, who is as old as the
world itself, and lives in the desert, and knows
everything; of the merchants, who walk slowly
by the side of their camels and carry amber
beads in their hands ; of the King of the
Mountains of the Moon, who is as black as
ebony, and worships a large crystal ; of the
great green snake that sleeps in a palm tree,
and has twenty priests to feed it with honey-
cakes ; and of the pygmies who sail over a big
lake on large flat leaves, and are always at war
with the butterflies.
" Dear little Swallow," said the Prince, " you
tell me of marvellous things, but more marvel-
lous than anything is the suffering of men and
of women. There is no Mystery so great as
Misery. Fly over my city, little Swallow, and
tell me what you see there."
So the Swallow flew over the great city, and
THE RICH MAKING MERRY IX THEIR BEAUTIFUL HOUSES, WHILE THE
BEGGARS WERE SITTING AT THE GATES
THE HAPPY PRINCE
saw the rich making merry in their beautiful
houses, while the beggars were sitting at the
gates. He flew into dark lanes, and saw the
white faces of starving children looking out
listlessly at the black streets. Under the arch-
way of a bridge two little boys were lying in
one another's arms to try and keep themselves
warm. a How hungry we are ! they said.
" You must not lie here," shouted the Watch-
man, and they wandered out into the rain.
Then he flew back and told the Prince
what he had seen.
a I am covered with fine gold," said the
Prince, " you must take it off, leaf by leaf,
and give it to my poor ; the living always
think that gold can make them happy."
Leaf after leaf of the fine gold the Swallow
picked off, till the Happy Prince looked quite
dull and grey. Leaf after leaf of the fine gold
he brought to the poor, and the children's
33
THE HAPPY PRINCE
faces grew rosier, and they laughed and played
games in the street. " We have bread now ! :
they cried.
Then the snow came, and after the snow
came the frost. The streets looked as if they
were made of silver, they were so bright and
glistening ; long icicles like crystal daggers
hung down from the eaves of the houses,
everybody went about in furs, and the little
boys wore scarlet caps and skated on the
ice.
The poor little Swallow grew colder and
colder, but he would not leave the Prince, he
loved him too well. He picked up crumbs
outside the baker's door when the baker was
not looking, and tried to keep himself warm
by flapping his wings.
But at last he knew that he was going to
die. He had just strength to fly up to the
Prince's shoulder once more. " Good-bye,
34
THE HAPPY PRINCE
dear Prince ! : he murmured, " will you let
me kiss your hand ? '
" I am glad that you are going to Egypt at
last, little Swallow," said the Prince, " you
have stayed too long here ; but you must kiss
me on the lips, for I love you."
" It is not to Egypt that I am going," said
the Swallow. " I am going to the House of
Death. Death is the brother of Sleep, is he not? '
And he kissed the Happy Prince on the
lips, and fell down dead at his feet.
At that moment a curious crack sounded
inside the statue, as if something had broken.
The fact is that the leaden heart had snapped
right in two. It certainly was a dreadfully
hard frost.
Early the next morning the Mayor was
walking in the square below in company with
the Town Councillors. As they passed the
column he looked up at the statue : " Dear
35
THE HAPPY PRINCE
me ! how shabby the Happy Prince looks ! '
he said.
" How shabby, indeed ! cried the Town
Councillors, who always agreed with the
Mayor ; and they went up to look at it.
" The ruby has fallen out of his sword, his
eyes are gone, and he is golden no longer,"
said the Mayor ; " in fact, he is little better
than a beggar ! '
" Little better than a beggar," said the
Town Councillors.
a And here is actually a dead bird at his
feet ! ' continued the Mayor. " We must
really issue a proclamation that birds are not
to be allowed to die here." And the Town
Clerk made a note of the suggestion.
So they pulled down the statue of the
Happy Prince. " As he is no longer beautiful
| he is no longer useful," said the Art Professor
at the University.
36
THE HAPPY PRINCE
Then they melted the statue in a furnace,
and the Mayor held a meeting of the Corpora-
tion to decide what was to be done with the
metal. " We must have another statue, of
course," he said, u and it shall be a statue of
myself."
u Of myself," said each of the Town
Councillors, and they quarrelled. When
I last heard of them they were quarrelling
still.
" What a strange thing ! ' said the overseer
of the workmen at the foundry. " This broken
lead heart will not melt in the furnace. We
must throw it away." So they threw it on a
dust-heap where the dead Swallow was also
lying.
" Bring me the two most precious things
in the city," said God to one of His Angels ;
and the Angel brought Him the leaden heart
and the dead bird.
37
THE HAPPY PRINCE
" You have rightly chosen," said God, " for
in my garden of Paradise this little bird shall
sing for evermore, and in my city of gold the
Happy Prince shall praise me."
THE
NIGHTINGALE
AND
THE
ROSE
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE
ROSE
HE said that she would
dance with me if I brought
her red roses," cried the
young Student ; " but in
all my garden there is no
red rose."
From her nest in the
holm-oak tree the Nightingale heard him,
and she looked out through the leaves, and
wondered.
41
F
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
" No red rose in all my garden ! ' he cried,
and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. " Ah,
on what little things does happiness depend !
I have read all that the wise men have written,
and all the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet
for want of a red rose is my life made wretched."
" Here at last is a true lover," said the Night-
ingale. " Night after night have I sung of him,
though I knew him not : night after night have
I told his story to the stars, and now I see him.
His hair is dark as the hyacinth-blossom, and
his lips are red as the rose of his desire ; but
passion has made his face like pale ivory, and
sorrow has set her seal upon his brow."
" The Prince gives a ball to-morrow night,"
murmured the young Student, " and my love
will be of the company. If I bring her a red
rose she will dance with me till dawn. If I
bring her a red rose, I shall hold her in my arms,
and she will lean her head upon my shoulder,
'SHE \VII.I, PASS .MR BY"
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
and her hand will be clasped in mine. But
there is no red rose in my garden, so I shall sit
lonely, and she will pass me by. She will have
no heed of me, and my heart will break."
" Here indeed is the true lover," said the
Nightingale. " What I sing ol, he suffers :
what is joy to me, to him is pain. Surely Love
is a wonderful thing. It is more precious than
emeralds, and dearer than fine opals. Pearls
and pomegranates cannot buy it, nor is it set
forth in the market-place. It may not be pur-
chased of the merchants, nor can it be weighed
out in the balance for gold."
" The musicians will sit in their gallery,"
said the young Student, " and play upon their
stringed instruments, and my love will dance to
the sound of the harp and the violin. She will
dance so lightly that her feet will not touch the
floor, and the courtiers in their gay dresses will
throng round her. But with me she will not
43
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
dance, for I have no red rose to give her; " and
he flung himself down on the grass, and buried
his face in his hands, and wept.
" Why is he weeping ? ' asked a little Green
Lizard, as he ran past him with his tail in the air.
" Why, indeed ? ' said a Butterfly, who was
fluttering about after a sunbeam.
" Why, indeed ? ' whispered a Daisy to his
neighbour, in a soft, low voice.
" He is weeping for a red rose," said the
Nightingale.
" For a red rose ? ' they cried ; " how very
ridiculous ! ' and the little Lizard, who was
something of a cynic, laughed outright.
But the Nightingale understood the secret of
5* the Student's sorrow, and she sat silent
in the oak-tree, and thought about the
mystery of Love.
Suddenly she spread her brown wings
for flight, and soared into the air. She
44
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
passed through the grove like a shadow, and
like a shadow she sailed across the garden.
In the centre of the grass-plot was standing
a beautiful Rose-tree, and when she saw it she
flew over to it, and lit upon a spray.
" Give me a red rose," she cried, " and I
will sing you my sweetest song."
But the Tree shook its head.
" My roses are white," it answered ; " as
white as the foam of the sea, and whiter
than the snow upon the mountain. But
go to my brother who grows round the old
sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you
what you want."
So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-
tree that was growing round the old sun-dial.
" Give me a red rose," she cried, " and
I will sing you my sweetest song."
But the Tree shook its head.
" My|roses are yellow," it answered ;
as
45
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
yellow as the hair of the mermaiden who sits
upon an amber throne, and yellower than the
daffodil that blooms in the meadow before the
mower comes with his scythe. But go to my
brother who grows beneath the Student's
window, and perhaps he will give you what
you want."
So the Nightingale flew over to the Rose-tree
that was growing beneath the Student's window.
" Give me a red rose," she cried, a and I
will sing you my sweetest song."
But the Tree shook its head.
cc My roses are red," it answered, " as red
as the feet of the dove, and redder than the
great fans of coral that wave and wave in the
ocean-cavern. But the winter has chilled my
veins, and the frost has nipped my buds, and
the storm has broken my branches, and I shall
have no roses at all this year."
" One red rose is all I want," cried the
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
Nightingale, " only one red rose ! Is there no
way by which I can get it ? '
" There is a way," answered the Tree ; " but
it is so terrible that I dare not tell it to you."
" Tell it to me," said the Nightingale, " I
am not afraid."
" If you want a red rose," said the Tree,
" you must build it out of music by moonlight,
and stain it with your own heart's-blood. You
must sing to me with your breast against a
thorn. All night long you must sing to me,
and the thorn must pierce your heart, and your
life-blood must flow into my veins, and become
mine."
" Death is a great price to pay lor a red
rose," cried the Nightingale, " and Life is very
dear to all. It is pleasant to sit in the green
wood, and to watch the Sun in his chariot of
gold, and the Moon in her chariot of pearl.
Sweet is the scent of the hawthorn, and sweet
47
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
are the bluebells that hide in the valley, and
the heather that blows on the hill. Yet Love
is better than Life, and what is the heart of a
bird compared to the heart of a man ? '
So she spread her brown wings for flight,
and soared into the air. She swept over the
garden like a shadow, and like a shadow she
sailed through the grove.
The young Student was still lying on the
grass, where she had left him, and the tears
were not yet dry in his beautiful eyes.
" Be happy," cried the Nightingale, " be
happy ; you shall have your red rose. I will
build it out of music by moonlight, and stain
it with my own heart's-blood. All that I ask
of you in return is that you will be a true lover,
for Love is wiser than Philosophy, though he
is wise, and mightier than Power, though he
is mighty. Flame-coloured are his wings, and
coloured like flame is his body. His lips are
HIS LIPS ARE SWEET AS HONEY"
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
sweet as honey, and his breath is like frank-
incense.'
The Student looked up from the grass, and
listened, but he could not understand what the
Nightingale was saying to him, for he only
knew the things that are written down in books.
But the Oak-tree understood, and felt sad,
for he was very fond of the little Nightingale
who had built her nest in his branches.
" Sing me one last song," he whispered ; " I
shall feel very lonely when you are gone."
So the Nightingale sang to the Oak-tree,
and her voice was like water bubbling from a
silver jar.
When she had finished her song, the Student
got up, and pulled a note-book and a lead-pencil
out of his pocket.
" She has form," he said to himself, as he
walked away through the grove — " that cannot
be denied to her ; but has she got feeling ? I
49 G
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
am afraid not. In fact, she is like most artists;
she is all style without any sincerity. She
would not sacrifice herself for others. She
thinks merely of music, and everybody knows
that the arts are selfish. Still, it must be ad-
mitted that she has some beautiful notes in her
voice. What a pity it is that they do not mean
anything, or do any practical good ! ' And he
went into his room, and lay down on his little
pallet-bed, and began to think of his love ; and,
after a time, he fell asleep.
And when the Moon shone in the heavens
the Nightingale flew to the Rose-tree, and set
her breast against the thorn. All night long
she sang with her breast against the thorn, and
the cold crystal Moon leaned down and listened.
All night long she sang and the thorn went
deeper and deeper into her breast, and her life-
blood ebbed away from her.
She sang first of the birth of love in the
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
heart of a boy and a girl. And on the top-
most spray of the Rose-tree there blossomed
a marvellous rose, petal following petal, as song
followed song. Pale was it, at first, as the
mist that hangs over the river — pale as the feet
of the morning, and silver as the wings of the
dawn. As the shadow of a rose in a mirror of
silver, as the shadow of a rose in a water-pool,
so was the rose that blossomed on the topmost
spray of the Tree.
But the Tree cried to the Nightingale to
press closer against the thorn. " Press closer,
little Nightingale," cried the Tree, " or the
Day will come before the rose is finished."
So the Nightingale pressed closer against
the thorn, and louder and louder grew her
song, for she sang of the birth of passion in
the soul of a man and a maid.
And a delicate flush of pink came into the
leaves of the rose, like the flush in the face of
51
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
the bridegroom when he kisses the lips of the
bride. But the thorn had not yet reached her
heart, so the rose's heart remained white, for
only a Nightingale's heart's-blood can crimson
the heart of a rose.
And the Tree cried to the Nightingale to
press closer against the thorn. " Press closer,
little Nightingale," cried the Tree, " or the Day
will come before the rose is finished."
So the Nightingale pressed closer against the
thorn, and the thorn touched her heart, and a
fierce pang of pain shot through her. Bitter,
bitter was the pain, and wilder and wilder grew
her song, for she sang of the Love that is
perfected by Death, of the Love that dies not
in the tomb.
And the marvellous rose became crimson,
like the rose of the eastern sky. Crimson
was the girdle of petals, and crimson as a
ruby was the heart.
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
But the Nightingale's voice grew fainter, and
her little wings began to beat, and a film came
over her eyes. Fainter and fainter grew her
song, and she felt something choking her in
her throat.
Then she gave one last burst of music. The
white Moon heard it, and she forgot the dawn,
and lingered on in the sky. The red rose
heard it, and it trembled all over with ecstasy,
and opened its petals to the cold morning air.
Echo bore it to her purple cavern in the hills,
and woke the sleeping shepherds from their
dreams. It floated through the reeds of the
river, and they carried its message to the sea.
" Look, look ! ' cried the Tree, " the rose is
finished now ; ' but the Nightingale made no
answer, for she was lying dead in the long grass,
with the thorn in her heart.
And at noon the Student opened his window
and looked out.
53
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
" Why, what a wonderful piece of luck!'
he cried ; " here is a red rose ! I have never
seen any rose like it in all my life. It is so
beautiful that I am sure it has a long Latin
name ; ' and he leaned down and plucked it.
Then he put on his hat, and ran up to the
Professor's house with the rose in his hand.
The daughter of the Professor was sitting in
the doorway winding blue silk on a reel, and
her little dog was lying at her feet.
" You said that you would dance with me if
I brought you a red rose," cried the Student.
" Here is the reddest rose in all the world.
You will wear it to-night next your heart, and
as we dance together it will tell you how I
love you."
But the girl frowned.
" I am afraid it will not go with
my dress," she answered ; " and,
besides, the Chamberlain's nephew
54
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
has sent me some real jewels, and everybody
knows that jewels cost far more than flowers."
" Well, upon my word, you are very un-
grateful," said the Student angrily ; and he
threw the rose into the street, where it fell into
the gutter, and a cart-wheel went over it.
" Ungrateful ! ' said the girl. " I tell you
what, you are very rude ; and, after all, who
are you ? Only a Student. Why, I don't
believe you have even got silver buckles to
your shoes as the Chamberlain's nephew has ; '
and she got up from her chair and went into
the house.
"What a silly thing Love is!" said the Student
as he walked away. " It is not half as useful
as Logic, for it does not prove anything, and
it is always telling one of things that are not
going to happen, and making one believe things
that are not true. In fact, it is quite unpractical,
and, as in this age to be practical is every-
55
THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE
thing, I shall go back to Philosophy and study
Metaphysics."
So he returned to his room and pulled out
a great dusty book, and began to read.
THE
SELFISH
GIANT
THE SELFISH GIANT
VERY afternoon, as they
were coming from school,
the children used to go
and play in the Giant's
garden.
It was a large lovely
garden, with soft green
grass. Here and there over the grass stood
beautiful flowers like stars, and there were
twelve peach-trees that in the spring-time broke
out into delicate blossoms of pink and pearl,
59
THE SELFISH GIANT
and in the autumn bore rich fruit. The birds
sat on the trees and sang so sweetly that the
children used to stop their games in order to
listen to them. " How happy we are here ! '
they cried to each other.
One day the Giant came back. He had
been to visit his friend the Cornish ogre, and
had stayed with him for seven years. After the
seven years were over he had said all that he
had to say, for his conversation was limited,
and he determined to return to his own castle.
When he arrived he saw the children playing
in the garden.
" What are you doing here ? ' ' he cried in a
very gruff voice, and the children ran away.
" My own garden is my own garden," said
the Giant ; " any one can understand that, and
I will allow nobody to play in it but myself."
So he built a high wall all round it, and put
up a notice-board.
THE SELFISH GIANT
TRESPASSERS
WILL BE
PROSECUTED
He was a very selfish Giant.
The poor children had now nowhere to play.
They tried to play on the road, but the road
was very dusty and full of hard stones, and they
did not like it. They used to wander round
the high wall when their lessons were over, and
talk about the beautiful garden inside. " How
happy we were there ! ' they said to each other.
Then the Spring came, and all over the
country there were little blossoms and little
birds. Only in the garden of the Selfish Giant
it was still winter. The birds did not care to
sing in it as there were no children, and the
trees forgot to blossom. Once a beautiful flower
put its head out from the grass, but when it saw
the notice-board it was so sorry for the children
61
THE SELFISH GIANT
that it slipped back into the ground again, and
went off to sleep. The only people who were
pleased were the Snow and the Frost. " Spring
has forgotten this garden," they cried, " so we
will live here all the year round." The Snow
covered up the grass with her great white cloak,
and the Frost painted all the trees silver. Then
they invited the North Wind to stay with them,
and he came. He was wrapped in furs, and
he roared all day about the garden, and blew
the chimney-pots down. " This is a delightful
spot," he said, " we must ask the Hail on a
visit." So the Hail came. Every day for three
hours he rattled on the roof of the castle till he
broke most of the slates, and then he ran round
and round the garden as fast as he could go.
He was dressed in grey, and his breath was
like ice.
" I cannot understand why the Spring is so
late in coming," said the Selfish Giant, as he
THE SELFISH GIANT
sat at the window and looked out at his cold
white garden; "I hope there will be a change
in the weather."
But the Spring never came, nor the Summer.
The Autumn gave golden fruit to every garden,
but to the Giant's garden she gave none. " He
is too selfish," she said. So it was always
Winter there, and the North Wind and the
Hail, and the Frost, and the Snow danced about
through the trees.
One morning the Giant was lying awake in
bed when he heard some lovely music. It
sounded so sweet to his ears that he thought
it must be the King's musicians passing by. It
was really only a little linnet singing outside
his window, but it was so long since he had
heard a bird sing in his garden that it seemed
to him to be the most beautiful music in the
world. Then the Hail stopped dancing over
his head, and the North Wind ceased roaring,
63
THE SELFISH GIANT
and a delicious perfume came to him through
the open casement. " I believe the Spring has
come at last," said the Giant ; and he jumped
out of bed and looked out.
What did he see?
He saw a most wonderful sight. Through
a little hole in the wall the children had crept
in, and they were sitting in the branches of the
trees. In every tree that he could see there
was a little child. And the trees were so glad
to have the children back again that they had
covered themselves with blossoms, and were
waving their arms gently above the children's
heads. The birds were flying about and twitter-
ing with delight, and the flowers were looking
up through the green grass and laughing. It
was a lovely scene, only in one corner it was
still winter. It was the farthest corner of the
garden, and in it was standing a little boy.
He was so small that he could not reach up to
64
IN EVERY TREE HE COULIJ SEE THERE WAS A LITTLE CHILD
THE SELFISH GIANT
the branches of the tree, and he was wandering
all round it, crying bitterly. The poor tree
was still quite covered with frost and snow, and
the North Wind was blowing and roaring above
it. " Climb up ! little boy," said the Tree, and
it bent its branches down as low as it could ;
but the boy was too tiny.
And the Giant's heart melted as he looked
out. " How selfish I have been ! ' he said ;
" now I know why the Spring would not come
here. I will put that poor little boy on the
top of the tree, and then I will knock down the
wall, and my garden shall be the children's
playground for ever and ever." He was really
very sorry for what he had done.
So he crept downstairs and opened the front
door quite softly, and went out into the garden.
But when the children saw him they were so
frightened that they all ran away, and the gar-
den became winter again. Only the little boy
65 i
THE SELFISH GIANT
did not run, for his eyes were so full of tears
that he did not see the Giant coming. And
the Giant stole up behind him and took him
gently in his hand, and put him up into the
tree. And the tree broke at once into blossom,
and the birds came and sang on it, and the
little boy stretched out his two arms and flung
them round the Giant's neck, and kissed him.
And the other children, when they saw that the
Giant was not wicked any longer, came running
back, and with them came the Spring. " It is
your garden now, little children," said the
Giant, and he took a great axe and knocked
down the wall. And when the people were
going to market at twelve o'clock they found
the Giant playing with the children in the most
beautiful garden they had ever seen.
All day long they played, and in the evening
they came to the Giant to bid him good-bye.
" But where is your little companion?" he
66
THE SELFISH GIANT
said : " the boy I put into the tree." The
Giant loved him the best because he had kissed
him.
" We don't know," answered the children ;
u he has gone away."
" You must tell him to be sure and come
here to-morrow," said the Giant. But the
children said that they did not know where he
lived, and had never seen him before; and the
Giant felt very sad.
Every afternoon, when school was over, the
children came and played with the Giant. But
the little boy whom the Giant loved was never
seen again. The Giant was very kind to all
the children, yet he longed for his first little
friend, and often spoke of him. cc How I would
like to see him ! ' he used to say.
Years went over, and the Giant grew very
old and feeble. He could not play about any
more, so he sat in a huge armchair, and watched
67
THE SELFISH GIANT
the children at their games, and admired his
garden. u I have many beautiful flowers," he
said ; " but the children are the most beautiful
flowers of all."
One winter morning he looked out of his
window as he was dressing. He did not hate
the winter now, for he knew that it was merely
the Spring asleep, and that the flowers were
resting.
Suddenly he rubbed his eyes in wonder and
looked and looked. It certainly was a marvel-
lous sight. In the farthest corner of the garden
was a tree quite covered with lovely white
blossoms. Its branches were all golden, and
silver fruit hung down from them, and under-
neath it stood the little boy he had loved.
Downstairs ran the Giant in great joy, and
out into the garden. He hastened across the
grass, and came near to the child. And when
he came quite close his face grew red with
68
c
^-^ 'V . / T A ^S
THE LITTLE BOY HE HAD LOVED
THE SELFISH GIANT
anger, and he said, " Who hath dared to wound
thee ? 3 For on the palms of the child's hands
were the prints of two nails, and the prints of
two nails were on the little feet.
a Who hath dared to wound thee ? ' cried
the Giant ; " tell me, that I might take my big
sword and slay him."
" Nay ! " answered the child ; " but these are
the wounds of Love."
" Who art thou ? ' said the Giant, and a
strange awe fell on him, and he knelt before
the little child.
And the child smiled on the Giant, and said
to him, " You let me play once in your garden,
to-day you shall come with me to my garden,
which is Paradise."
And when the children ran in that afternoon,
they found the Giant lying dead under the tree,
all covered with white blossoms.
THE
DEVOTED
FRIEND
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
NE morning the old
Water-rat put his head
out of his hole. He had
bright beady eyes and
stiff grey whiskers and
his tail was like a long
bit of black india-rubber.
The little ducks were swimming about in the
pond, looking just like a lot of yellow canaries,
and their mother, who was pure white with
real red legs, was trying to teach them how
to stand on their heads in the water.
73 K
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" You will never be in the best society
unless you can stand on your heads," she kept
saying to them ; and every now and then she
showed them how it was done. But the little
ducks paid no attention to her. They were
so young that they did not know what an
advantage it is to be in society at all.
u What disobedient children ! " cried the old
Water-rat; "they really deserve to be drowned."
" Nothing of the kind," answered the Duck,
" every one must make a beginning, and parents
cannot be too patient."
" Ah ! I know nothing about the feelings
of parents," said the Water-rat ; " I am not
a family man. In fact, I have never been
married, and I never intend to be. Love is
all very well in its way, but friendship is much
higher. Indeed, I know of nothing in the
world that is either nobler or rarer than a
devoted friendship."
74
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" And what, pray, is your idea of the duties
of a devoted friend ? ' asked a green Linnet,
who was sitting in a willow-tree hard by, and
had overheard the conversation.
" Yes, that is just what I want to know,"
said the Duck; and she swam away to
the end of the pond, and stood upon her
head, in order to give her children a good
example.
" What a silly question ! 3 cried the Water-
rat. " I should expect my devoted friend to
be devoted to me, of course."
u And what would you do in return ? '
said the little bird, swinging upon a silver
spray, and flapping his tiny wings.
" I don't understand you," answered the
Water-rat.
" Let me tell you a story on the subject,"
said the Linnet.
" Is the story about me ? " asked the Water-
75
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
rat. " If so, I will listen to it, for I am
extremely fond of fiction."
" It is applicable to you," answered the
Linnet ; and he flew down, and alighting upon
the bank, he told the story of The Devoted
Friend.
"Once upon a time," said the Linnet, " there
was an honest little fellow named Hans."
" Was he very distinguished ? ' asked the
Water-rat.
" No," answered the Linnet, " I don't think
he was distinguished at all, except for his kind
heart, and his funny round good-humoured
face. He lived in a tiny cottage all by him-
self, and every day he worked in his garden.
In all the country-side there was no garden
so lovely as his. Sweet-william grew there,
and Gilly-flowers, and Shepherds'-purses, and
Fair-maids of France. There were damask
Roses, and yellow Roses, lilac Crocuses and
76
THE GREEN LINNET
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
gold, purple Violets and white. Columbine
and Ladysmock, Marjoram and Wild Basil, the
Cowslip and the Flower-de-luce, the Daffodil
and the Clove-Pink bloomed or blossomed in
their proper order as the months went by, one
flower taking another flower's place, so that
there were always beautiful things to look at,
and pleasant odours to smell.
" Little Hans had a great many friends, but
the most devoted friend of all was big Hugh
the Miller. Indeed, so devoted was the rich
Miller to little Hans, that he would never go
by his garden without leaning over the wall
and plucking a large nosegay, or a handful of
sweet herbs, or filling his pockets with plums
and cherries if it was the fruit season.
" c Real friends should have everything in
common,' the Miller used to say, and little
Hans nodded and smiled, and felt very proud
of having a friend with such noble ideas.
77
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" Sometimes, indeed, the neighbours thought
it strange that the rich Miller never gave little
Hans anything in return, though he had a
hundred sacks of flour stored away in his mill,
and six milch cows, and a large flock of woolly
sheep ; but Hans never troubled his head about
these things, and nothing gave him greater
pleasure than to listen to all the wonderful
things the Miller used to say about the unselfish-
ness of true friendship.
" So little Hans worked away in his garden.
During the spring, the summer, and the autumn
he was very happy, but when the winter came,
and he had no fruit or flowers to bring to the
market, he suffered a good deal from
cold and hunger, and often had to go
to bed without any supper but a few
dried pears or some hard nuts. In the
winter, also, he was extremely lonely,
as the Miller never came to see him then.
78
rv
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" ' There is no good in my going to see little
Hans as long as the snow lasts,' the Miller used
to say to his wife, c for when people are in
trouble they should be left alone and not be
bothered by visitors. That at least is my idea
about friendship, and I am sure I am right.
So I shall wait till the spring comes, and then
I shall pay him a visit, and he will be able to
give me a large basket of primroses, and that
will make him so happy.'
" c You are certainly very thoughtful about
others,' answered the Wife, as she sat in her
comfortable armchair by the big pinewood
fire ; c very thoughtful indeed. It is quite a
treat to hear you talk about friendship. I am
sure the clergyman himself could not say such
beautiful things as you do, though he does
live in a three-storied house, and wear a gold
ring on his little finger.'
" c But could we not ask little Hans up
79
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
here ? ' said the Miller's youngest son. ' If
poor Hans is in trouble I will give him half
my porridge, and show him my white rabbits.'
" ' What a silly boy you are ! ' cried the
Miller ; ' I really don't know what is the use
of sending you to school. You seem not to
learn anything. Why, if little Hans came up
here, and saw our warm fire, and our good
supper, and our great cask of red wine, he
might get envious, and envy is a most terrible
thing, and would spoil anybody's nature. I
certainly will not allow Hans' nature to be
spoiled. I am his best friend, and I will
always watch over him, and see that he is not
led into any temptations. Besides, if Hans
came here, he might ask me to let him have
some flour on credit, and that I could not do.
Flour is one thing and friendship is another,
and they should not be confused. Why,
the words are spelt differently, and mean
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
quite different things. Everybody can see
that.'
" c How well you talk ! : said the Miller's
Wife, pouring herself out a large glass of warm
ale ; ' really I feel quite drowsy. It is just
like being in church.'
" c Lots of people act well,' answered the
Miller ; c but very few people talk well, which
shows that talking is much the more difficult
thing of the two, and much the finer thing also';
and he looked sternly across the table at his little
son, who felt so ashamed of himself that he
hung his head down, and grew quite scarlet,
and began to cry into his tea. However, he
was so young that you must excuse him."
" Is that the end of the story ? ' asked the
Water-rat.
" Certainly not," answered the Linnet, " that
is the beginning."
Then you are quite behind the age," said
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
the Water-rat. " Every good story-teller
nowadays starts with the end, and then goes
on to the beginning, and concludes with the
middle. That is the new method. I heard
all about it the other day from a critic who
was walking round the pond with a young
man. He spoke of the matter at great length,
and I am sure he must have been right, for he
had blue spectacles and a bald head, and when-
ever the young man made any remark, he
always answered ' Pooh!' But pray go on with
your story. I like the Miller
immensely. I have all kinds of
beautiful sentiments myself, so
there is a great sympathy between
us."
" Well," said the Linnet, hop-
ping now on one leg and now
on the other, " as soon as the
winter was over, and the primroses
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
began to open their pale yellow stars, the Miller
said to his wife that he would go down and see
little Hans.
" ' Why, what a good heart you have ! '
cried his Wife ; c you are always thinking of
others. And mind you take the big basket
with you for the flowers.'
" So the Miller tied the sails of the windmill
together with a strong iron chain, and went
down the hill with the basket on his arm.
"'Good morning, little Hans,' said the Miller.
" c Good morning,' said Hans, leaning on
his spade, and smiling from ear to ear.
cc £ And how have you been all the winter ? '
said the Miller.
" c Well, really,' cried Hans, c it is very good
of you to ask, very good indeed. I am afraid
I had rather a hard time of it, but now the
spring has come, and I am quite happy, and
all my flowers are doing well."
83
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" < We often talked of you during the winter,
Hans,' said the Miller, c and wondered how
you were getting on.'
"' That was kind of you,' said Hans; CI
was half afraid you had forgotten me.'
" ' Hans, I am surprised at you,' said the
Miller ; c friendship never forgets. That is
the wonderful thing about it, but I am
afraid you don't understand the poetry of life.
How lovely your primroses are looking,
by-the-bye ! '
" c They are certainly very lovely,' said
Hans, ' and it is a most lucky thing for me
that I have so many. I am going to bring
them into the market and sell them to the
Burgomaster's daughter, and buy back my
wheelbarrow with the money.'
" c Buy back your wheelbarrow ? You don't
mean to say you have sold it ? What a very
stupid thing to do ! :
84
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" c Well, the fact is,' said Hans, ' that I was
obliged to. You see the winter was a very
bad time for me, and I really had no money
at all to buy bread with. So I first sold the
silver buttons off my Sunday coat, and then I
sold my silver chain, and then I sold my big
pipe, and at last I sold my wheelbarrow. But
I am going to buy them all back again
now.'
" c Hans,' said the Miller, ' I will give you
my wheelbarrow. It is not in very good
repair; indeed, one side is gone, and there is
something wrong with the wheel-spokes ; but
in spite of that I will give it to you. I know
it is very generous of me, and a great many
people would think me extremely foolish for
parting with it, but I am not like the rest of
the world. I think that generosity is the
essence of friendship, and, besides, I have got
a new wheelbarrow for myself. Yes, you may
85
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
set your mind at ease, I will give you my
wheelbarrow/
" ' Well, really, that is generous of you,' said
little Hans, and his funny round face glowed
all over with pleasure. c I can easily put
it in repair, as I have a plank of wood in the
house.'
" c A plank of wood ! ' said the Miller ;
c why, that is just what I want for the roof of
my barn. There is a very large hole in it,
and the corn will all get damp if I don't stop
it up. How lucky you mentioned it 1 It is
quite remarkable how one good action always
breeds another. I have given you my wheel-
barrow, and now you are going to give me
your plank. Of course, the wheelbarrow is
worth far more than the plank, but true friend-
ship never notices things like that. Pray get
it at once, and I will set to work at my barn
this very day.'
86
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" c Certainly,' cried little Hans, and he ran
into the shed and dragged the plank out.
" £ It is not a very big plank,' said the
Miller, looking at it, ' and I am afraid that
after I have mended my barn-roof there won't
be any left for you to mend the wheelbarrow
with ; but, of course, that is not my fault.
And now, as I have given you my wheelbarrow,
I am sure you would like to give me some
flowers in return. Here is the basket, and
mind you fill it quite full.'
" c Quite full ? ' said little Hans, rather
sorrowfully, for it was really a very big basket,
and he knew that if he filled it he would have
no flowers left for the market, and he was
very anxious to get his silver buttons back.
" c Well, really,' answered the Miller, c as I
have given you my wheelbarrow, I don't think
that it is much to ask you for a few flowers.
I may be wrong, but I should have thought
87
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
that friendship, true friendship, was quite free
from selfishness of any kind.'
" ( My dear friend, my best friend,' cried
little Hans, £ you are welcome to all the
flowers in my garden. I would much sooner
have your good opinion than my silver
buttons, any day ; ' and he ran and plucked
all his pretty primroses, and filled the Miller's
basket.
" ' Good-bye, little Hans,' said the Miller,
as he went up the hill with the plank on his
shoulder, and the big basket in his hand.
" £ Good-bye,' said little Hans, and he began
to dig away quite merrily, he was so pleased
about the wheelbarrow.
" The next day he was nailing up some
honeysuckle against the porch, when he heard
the Miller's voice calling to him from the road.
So he jumped ofF the ladder, and ran down
the garden, and looked over the wall.
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" There was the Miller with a large sack
of flour on his back.
" c Dear little Hans,' said the Miller, c would
you mind carrying this sack of flour for me
to market ? '
" c Oh, I am so sorry,' said Hans, c but I am
really very busy to-day. I have got all my
creepers to nail up, and all my flowers to
water, and all my grass to roll.'
" c Well, really,' said the Miller, c I think
that, considering that I am going to give you
my wheelbarrow, it is rather unfriendly of you
to refuse.'
" ' Oh, don't say that,' cried little Hans, c I
wouldn't be unfriendly for the whole world ; '
and he ran in for his cap, and trudged off with
the big sack on his shoulders.
" It was a very hot day, and the road was
terribly dusty, and before Hans had reached
the sixth milestone he was so tired that he had
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
to sit down and rest. However, he went on
bravely, and at last he reached the market.
After he had waited there some time, he sold
the sack of flour for a very good price, and
then he returned home at once, for he was
afraid that if he stopped too late he might meet
some robbers on the way.
" ' It has certainly been a hard day,' said
little Hans to himself as he was going to bed,
c but I am glad I did not refuse the Miller,
for he is my best friend, and, besides, he is
going to give me his wheelbarrow.5
" Early the next morning the Miller came
down to get the money for his sack of flour,
but little Hans was so tired that he was still
in bed.
" ' Upon my word/ said the Miller, cyou
are very lazy. Really, considering that I am
going to give you my wheelbarrow, I think
you might work harder. Idleness is a great
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
sin, and I certainly don't like any of my friends
to be idle or sluggish. You must not mind
my speaking quite plainly to you. Of course
I should not dream of doing so if I were not
your friend. But what is the good of friend-
ship if one cannot say exactly what one means?
Anybody can say charming things and try to
please and to flatter, but a true friend always
says unpleasant things, and does not mind
giving pain. Indeed, if he is a really true
friend he prefers it, for he knows that then he
is doing good.'
" c I am very sorry,' said little Hans, rubbing
his eyes and pulling ofT his night-cap, c but I
was so tired that I thought I would lie in bed
for a little time, and listen to the birds singing.
Do you know that I always work better after
hearing the birds sing ? '
" < Well, I am glad of that,' said the Miller,
clapping little Hans on the back, c for I want
91
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
you to come up to the mill as soon as you are
dressed and mend my barn-roof for me.'
" Poor little Hans was very anxious to go
and work in his garden, for his flowers had
not been watered for two days, but he did not
like to refuse the Miller as he was such a good
friend to him.
" c Do you think it would be unfriendly of
me if I said I was busy ? ' he inquired in a shy
and timid voice.
"c Well, really,' answered the Miller, CI do not
think it is much to ask of you, considering that
I am going to give you my wheelbarrow; but of
course if you refuse I will go and do it myself.'
" < Oh ! on no account,' cried little Hans;
and he jumped out of bed, and dressed him-
self, and went up to the barn.
" He worked there all day long, till sunset,
and at sunset the Miller came to see how he
was getting on.
92
HANS IN HIS GARDEN
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" c Have you mended the hole in the roof
yet, little Hans ? ' cried the Miller in a cheery
voice.
" < It is quite mended,' answered little Hans,
coming down the ladder.
" * Ah ! ' said the Miller, c there is no work
so delightful as the work one does for others.'
" c It is certainly a great privilege to hear
you talk,' answered little Hans, sitting down
and wiping his forehead, c a very great privilege.
But I am afraid I shall never have such beautiful
ideas as you have.'
" £ Oh ! they will come to you,' said the
Miller, < but you must take more pains. At
present you have only the practice of friend-
ship ; some day you will have the theory also.'
" 4 Do you really think I shall ? ' asked little
Hans.
" c I have no doubt of it,' answered the
Miller, c but now that you have mended the
93
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
roof, you had better go home and rest, for I
want you to drive my sheep to the mountain
to-morrow.'
" Poor little Hans was afraid to say any-
thing to this, and early the next morning the
Miller brought his sheep round to the cottage,
and Hans started off with them to the mountain.
It took him the whole day to get there and
back; and when he returned he was so tired
that he went off to sleep in his chair, and did
not wake up till it was broad daylight.
" c What a delightful time I shall have in
my garden! ' he said, and he went to work at
once.
" But somehow he was never able to look
after his flowers at all, for his friend the
Miller was always coming round and sending
him off on long errands, or getting him to
help at the mill. Little Hans was very much
distressed at times, as he was afraid his flowers
94
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
would think he had forgotten them, but he
consoled himself by the reflection that the
Miller was his best friend. c Besides,' he used
to say, (he is going to give me his wheelbarrow,
and that is an act of pure generosity.'
u So little Hans worked away for the Miller,
and the Miller said all kinds of beautiful things
about friendship, which Hans took down in
a notebook, and used to read over at night,
for he was a very good scholar.
cc Now it happened that one evening little
Hans was sitting by his fireside when a loud
rap came at the door. It was a very wild
night, and the wind was blowing and roaring
round the house so terribly that at first he
thought it was merely the storm. But a second
rap came, and then a third, louder than any of
the others.
" c It is some poor traveller,' said little Hans
to himself, and he ran to the door.
95
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" There stood the Miller with a lantern in
one hand and a big stick in the other.
" c Dear little Hans,' cried the Miller, c I am
in great trouble. My little boy has fallen off
a ladder and hurt himself, and I am going for
the Doctor. But he lives so far away, and it
is such a bad night, that it has just occurred
to me that it would be much better if you
went instead of me. You know I am going
to give you my wheelbarrow, and so it is only
fair that you should do something for me in
return.'
" ( Certainly,' cried little Hans, c I take it
quite as a compliment your coming to me,
and I will start off at once. But you must
lend me your lantern, as the night is so dark
that I am afraid I might fall into the ditch.'
" c I am very sorry/ answered the Miller,
c but it is my new lantern and it would be a
great loss to me if anything happened to it.'
96
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" ' Well, never mind, I will do without it,'
cried little Hans, and he took down his great
fur coat, and his warm scarlet cap, and tied a
muffler round his throat, and started off.
" What a dreadful storm it was ! The night
was so black that little Hans could hardly see,
and the wind was so strong that he could
scarcely stand. However, he was very coura-
geous, and after he had been walking about
three hours, he arrived at the Doctor's house,
and knocked at the door.
" £ Who is there ? ' cried the Doctor, putting
his head out of his bedroom window.
cc c Little Hans, Doctor.'
" ' What do you want, little Hans ? 3
" c The Miller's son has fallen from a ladder,
and has hurt himself, and the Miller wants
you to come at once.'
" c All right ! ' said the Doctor ; and he
ordered his horse, and his big boots, and his
97 N
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
lantern, and came downstairs, and rode oft in
the direction of the Miller's house, little Hans
trudging behind him.
u But the storm grew worse and worse, and
the rain fell in torrents, and little Hans could
not see where he was going, or keep up with
the horse. At last he lost his way, and wan-
dered off on the moor, which was a very
dangerous place, as it was full of deep holes,
and there poor little Hans was drowned. His
body was found the next day by some goat-
herds, floating in a great pool of water, and
was brought back by them to the cottage.
" Everybody went to little Hans' funeral,
as he was so popular, and the Miller was the
chief mourner.
" c As I was his best friend/ said the Miller,
c it is only fair that I should have the best
place ; ' so he walked at the head of the pro-
cession in a long black cloak, and every now
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
and then he wiped his eyes with a big pocket-
handkerchief.
" c Little Hans is certainly a great loss to
every one,' said the Blacksmith, when the
funeral was over, and they were all seated
comfortably in the inn, drinking spiced wine
and eating sweet cakes.
" c A great loss to me at any rate/ answered
the Miller, ' why, I had as good as given him
my wheelbarrow, and now I really don't know
what to do with it. It is very much in my
way at home, and it is in such bad repair that
I could not get anything for it if I sold it.
I will certainly take care not to give away
anything again. One always suffers for being
generous.'
" Well? " said the Water-rat, after a long pause.
" Well, that is the end," said the Linnet.
"But what became of the Miller?' asked
the Water-rat.
99
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" Oh ! I really don't know," replied the
Linnet ; " and I am sure that I don't care."
" It is quite evident then that you have no
sympathy in your nature," said the Water-rat.
" I am afraid you don't quite see the moral
of the story," remarked the Linnet.
" The what ? " screamed the Water-rat.
" The moral."
" Do you mean to say that the story has a
moral ? '
" Certainly," said the Linnet.
" Well, really," said the Water-rat, in a very
angry manner, " I think you should have told
me that before you began. If you had done
so, I certainly would not have listened to you ;
in fact, I should have said c Pooh,' like the
critic. However, I can say it now ; ' ' so he
shouted out " Pooh " at the top of his voice,
gave a whisk with his tail, and went back into
his hole.
IOO
THE DEVOTED FRIEND
" And how do you like the Water-rat ? "
asked the Duck, who came paddling up some
minutes afterwards. " He has a great many
good points, but for my own part I have a
mother's feelings, and I can never look at a
confirmed bachelor without the tears coming
into my eyes."
" I am rather afraid that I have annoyed
him," answered the Linnet. " The fact is, that
I told him a story with a moral."
" Ah ! that is always a very dangerous thing
to do," said the Duck.
And I quite agree with her.
THE
REMARKABLE
ROCKET
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
* « *
HE King's son was going
to be married, so there
were general rejoicings.
He had waited a whole
year for his bride, and
at last she had arrived.
She was a Russian Prin-
cess, and had driven all the way from Finland in
a sledge drawn by six reindeer. The sledge was
shaped like a great golden swan, and between
the swan's wings lay the little Princess herself.
Her long ermine cloak reached right down to
105
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
her feet, on her head was a tiny cap of silver
tissue, and she was as pale as the Snow Palace
in which she had always lived. So pale was
she that as she drove through the streets all the
people wondered. " She is like a white rose !'
they cried, and they threw down flowers on her
from the balconies.
At the gate of the Castle the Prince was
o
waiting to receive her. He had dreamy violet
eyes, and his hair was like fine gold. When
he saw her he sank upon one knee, and kissed
her hand.
" Your picture was beautiful," he murmured,
"but you are more beautiful than your picture; '
and the little Princess blushed.
" She was like a white rose before," said a
young page to his neighbour, " but she is like
a red rose now ; ' and the whole Court was
delighted.
For the next three days everybody went
106
THE RUSSIAN PRINCESS
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
about saying, "White rose, Red rose, Red rose,
White rose ; " and the King gave orders that the
Page's salary was to be doubled. As he received
no salary at all this was not of much use to him,
but it was considered a great honour, and was
duly published in the Court Gazette.
When the three days were over the marriage
was celebrated. It was a magnificent ceremony,
and the bride and bridegroom walked hand in
hand under a canopy of purple velvet em-
broidered with little pearls. Then there was a
State Banquet, which lasted for five hours.
The Prince and Princess sat at the top of the
Great Hall and drank out of a cup of clear
crystal. Only true lovers could drink out of
this cup, for if false lips touched it, it grew
grey and dull and cloudy.
" It is quite clear that they love each other,"
said the little Page, " as clear as crystal ! ' and
the King doubled his salary a second time.
107
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
" What an honour ! cried all the courtiers.
After the banquet there was to be a Ball.
The bride and bridegroom were to dance the
Rose-dance together, and the King had prom-
ised to play the flute. He played very badly,
but no one had ever dared to tell him so,
because he was the King. Indeed, he knew
only two airs, and was never quite certain which
one he was playing ; but it made no matter,
for, whatever he did, everybody cried out,
" Charming ! charming ! '
The last item on the programme was a grand
display of fireworks, to be let ofF exactly at
midnight. The little Princess had never seen
a firework in her life, so the King had given
orders that the Royal Pyrotechnist should be
in attendance on the day of her marriage.
c< What are fireworks like ? ' she had asked
the Prince, one morning, as she was walking
on the terrace.
108
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
" They are like the Aurora Borealis," said
the King, who always answered questions that
were addressed to other people, " only much
more natural. I prefer them to stars myself,
as you always know when they are going to
appear, and they are as delightful as my own
flute-playing. You must certainly see them."
So at the end of the King's garden a great
stand had been set up, and as soon as the Royal
Pyrotechnist had put everything in its proper
place, the fireworks began to talk to each
other.
" The world is certainly very beautiful,"
cried a little Squib. " Just look at those yellow
tulips. Why ! if they were real Crackers they
could not be lovelier. I am very glad I have
travelled. Travel improves the mind wonder-
fully, and does away with all one's prejudices."
" The King's garden is not the world, you
foolish Squib," said a big Roman Candle ; " the
109
' " THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
world is an enormous place, and it would take
you three days to see it thoroughly."
" Any place you love is the world to you,"
exclaimed the pensive Catherine Wheel, who
had been attached to an old deal box in early
life, and prided herself on her broken heart;
"but love is not fashionable any more, the poets
have killed it. They wrote so much about it
that nobody believed them, and I am not sur-
prised. True love suffers, and is silent. I
remember myself once But it is no matter
now. Romance is a thing of the past."
" Nonsense !" said the Roman Candle, "Ro-
mance never dies. It is like the moon, and
lives for ever. The bride and bridegroom, for
instance, love each other very dearly. I heard all
about them this morning from a brown-paper
cartridge, who happened to be staying in the
same drawer as myself, and he knew the latest
Court news."
1 10
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
But the Catherine Wheel shook her head.
" Romance is dead, Romance is dead, Romance
is dead," she murmured. She was one of those
people who think that, if you say the same thing
over and over a great many times, it becomes
true in the end.
Suddenly, a sharp, dry cough was heard, and
they all looked round.
It came from a tall, supercilious-looking
Rocket, who was tied to the end of a long
stick. He always coughed before he made any
observation, so as to attract attention.
" Ahem ! ahem ! ' he said, and everybody
listened except the poor Catherine Wheel, who
was still shaking her head, and murmuring,
" Romance is dead."
" Order ! order ! " cried out a Cracker. He was
something of a politician, and had always taken a
prominent part in the local elections, so he knew
the proper Parliamentary expressions to use.
V
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
" Quite dead," whispered the Catherine
Wheel, and she went off to sleep.
As soon as there was perfect silence, the
Rocket coughed a third time and began. He
spoke with a very slow, distinct voice, as if he
was dictating his memoirs, and always looked
over the shoulder of the person to whom he was
talking. In fact, he had a most distinguished
manner.
" How fortunate it is for the King's son,"
he remarked, " that he is to be married on the
very day on which I am to be let off! Really,
if it had been arranged beforehand, it could
not have turned out better for him ; but Princes
are always lucky."
" Dear me! " said the little Squib, "I thought
it was quite the other way, and that we were
to be let off in the Prince's honour."
" It may be so with you," he answered ;
" indeed, I have no doubt that it is, but with
112
*«*
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
me it is different. I am a very remarkable • • 4
Rocket, and come of remarkable parents. My *
mother was the most celebrated Catherine Wheel * *
T|T ^
of her day, and was renowned for her graceful
dancing. When she made her great public
appearance she spun round nineteen times before * *
she went out, and each time that she did so she
threw into the air seven pink stars. She was
three feet and a half in diameter, and made of
the very best gunpowder. My father was a
Rocket like myself, and of French extraction.
He flew so high that the people were afraid that
he would never come down again. He did,
though, for he was of a kindly disposition, and
he made a most brilliant descent in a shower of
golden rain. The newspapers wrote about his
performance in very flattering terms. Indeed,
the Court Gazette called him a triumph of
Pylotechnic art."
" Pyrotechnic, Pyrotechnic, you mean," said
X
* *
. *
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
a Bengal Light ; " I know it is Pyrotechnic, for
I saw it written on my own canister."
" Well, I said Pylotechnic," answered the
Rocket, in a severe tone of voice, and the
Bengal Light felt so crushed that he began at
once to bully the little squibs, in order to show
that he was still a person of some importance.
" I was saying," continued the Rocket, " I
was saying What was I saying ?
" You were talking about yourself," replied
the Roman Candle.
" Of course ; I knew I was discussing some
interesting subject when I was so rudely inter-
rupted. I hate rudeness and bad manners of
every kind, for I am extremely sensitive. No
one in the whole world is so sensitive as I am,
I am quite sure of that."
" What is a sensitive person ? : said the
Cracker to the Roman Candle.
" A person who, because he has corns
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
himself, always treads on other people's toes,"
answered the Roman Candle in a low whisper ;
and the Cracker nearly exploded with laughter.
" Pray, what are you laughing at ? " inquired
the Rocket ; cc I am not laughing."
" I am laughing because I am happy," replied
the Cracker.
" That is a very selfish reason," said the
Rocket angrily. " What right have you to be
happy ? You should be thinking about others.
In fact, you should be thinking about me. I
am always thinking about myself, and I expect
everybody else to do the same. That is what
is called sympathy. It is a beautiful virtue, and
I possess it in a high degree. Suppose, for
instance, anything happened to me to-night,
what a misfortune that would be for every one !
The Prince and Princess would never be happy
again, their whole married life would be spoiled;
and as for the King, I know he would not get
"5
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
over it. Really, when I begin to reflect on
the importance of my position, I am almost
moved to tears."
" If you want to give pleasure to others,"
cried the Roman Candle, " you had better keep
yourself dry."
" Certainly," exclaimed the Bengal Light,
who was now in better spirits ; " that is only
common sense."
" Common sense, indeed ! " said the Rocket
indignantly ; " you forget that I am very un-
common, and very remarkable. Why, anybody
can have common sense, provided that they
have no imagination. But I have imagination,
for I never think of things as they really are ;
I always think of them as being quite different.
As for keeping myself dry, there is evidently
no one here who can at all appreciate an
emotional nature. Fortunately for myself, I
don't care. The only thing that sustains one
116
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
through life is the consciousness of the immense
inferiority of everybody else, and this is a
feeling I have always cultivated.
But none of you have any hearts.
Here you are laughing and making
merry just as if the Prince and
Princess hadnot just been married."
" Well, really," exclaimed a
small Fire-balloon, " why not ?
It is a most joyful occasion, and
when I soar up into the air I
intend to tell the stars all about it.
You will see them twinkle when I talk to them
about the pretty bride."
" Ah ! what a trivial view of life ! ' said the
Rocket ; " but it is only what I expected.
There is nothing in you ; you are hollow and
empty. Why, perhaps the Prince and Princess
may go to live in a country where there is a
deep river, and perhaps they may have one only
117
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
son, a little fair-haired boy with violet eyes like
the Prince himself; and perhaps some day he
may go out to walk with his nurse ; and perhaps
the nurse may go to sleep under a great elder-
tree ; and perhaps the little boy may fall into
the deep river and be drowned. What a terrible
misfortune ! Poor people, to lose their only
son ! It is really too dreadful ! I shall never
get over it."
" But they have not lost their only son,"
said the Roman Candle ; " no misfortune has
happened to them at all."
" I never said that they had," replied the
Rocket ; " I said that they might. If they had
lost their only son there would be no use in
saying anything more about the matter. I hate
people who cry over spilt milk. But when I
think that they might lose their only son, I
certainly am much affected."
" You certainly are!" cried the Bengal Light.
118
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
" In fact, you are the most affected person I
ever met."
" You are the rudest person I ever met," said
the Rocket, " and you cannot understand my
friendship for the Prince."
" Why, you don't even know him," growled
the Roman Candle.
u I never said I knew him," answered the
Rocket. cc I dare say that if I knew him I
should not be his friend at all. It is a very
dangerous thing to know one's friends.'
" You had really better keep yourself dry,"
said the Fire-balloon. " That is the important
thing."
" Very important for you, I have no doubt,"
answered the Rocket, " but I shall weep if I
choose;' and he actually burst into real tears,
which flowed down his stick like rain- drops,
and nearly drowned two little beetles, who
were just thinking of setting up house together,
119
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
and were looking for a nice dry spot to live in.
" He must have a truly romantic nature,"
said the Catherine Wheel, " for he weeps when
there is nothing at all to weep about ; " and she
heaved a deep sigh and thought about the deal
box.
But the Roman Candle and the Bengal Light
were quite indignant, and kept saying, " Hum-
bug ! humbug ! ' at the top of their voices.
They were extremely practical, and whenever
they objected to anything they called it humbug.
Then the moon rose like a wonderful silver
shield ; and the stars began to shine, and a
sound of music came from the palace.
The Prince and Princess were leading the
dance. They danced so beautifully that the
tall white lilies peeped in at the window and
watched them, and the great red poppies nodded
their heads and beat time.
Then ten o'clock struck, and then eleven,
120
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
and then twelve, and at the last stroke of mid-
night every one came out on the terrace, and the
King sent for the Royal Pyrotechnist.
" Let the fireworks begin," said the King ;
and the Royal Pyrotechnist made a low bow,
and marched down to the end of the garden.
He had six attendants with him, each of whom
carried a lighted torch at the end of a long
pole.
It was certainly a magnificent display.
Whizz ! Whizz ! went the Catherine Wheel,
as she spun round and round. Boom! Boom!
went the Roman Candle. Then the Squibs
danced all over the place, and the Bengal
Lights made everything look scarlet. " Good-
bye," cried the Fire-balloon as he soared away,
dropping tiny blue sparks. Bang ! Bang !
answered the Crackers, who were enjoying
themselves immensely. Every one was a great
success except the Remarkable Rocket. He
121 Q
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
was so damp with crying that he could not go
off at all. The best thing in him was the
gunpowder, and that was so wet with tears
that it was of no use. All his poor relations,
to whom he would never speak, except with a
sneer, shot up into the sky like wonderful
golden flowers with blossoms of fire. Huzza !
Huzza ! cried the Court ; and the little Princess
laughed with pleasure.
" I suppose they are reserving me for some
grand occasion," said the Rocket ; " no doubt
that is what it means," and he looked more
supercilious than ever.
The next day the workmen came to put
everything tidy. " This is evidently a depu-
tation," said the Rocket ; " I will receive them
with becoming dignity": so he put his nose in
the air, and began to frown severely as if he
were thinking about some very important
subject. But they took no notice of him at
122
':LET THE FIREWORKS BEGIN," SAH> THE KING
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
all till they were just going away. Then one
of them caught sight of him. " Hallo ! ' he
cried, " what a bad rocket ! 3 and he threw
him over the wall into the ditch.
" BAD Rocket ? BAD Rocket ? " he said, as he
whirled through the air ; a impossible ! GRAND
Rocket, that is what the man said. BAD and
GRAND sound very much the same, indeed they
often are the same ; " and he fell into the mud.
" It is not comfortable here," he remarked,
" but no doubt it is some fashionable watering-
place, and they have sent me away to recruit
my health. My nerves are certainly very
much shattered, and I require rest."
Then a little Frog, with bright jewelled
eyes, and a green mottled coat, swam up to
him.
" A new arrival, I see ! " said the Frog.
a Well, after all there is nothing like mud.
Give me rainy weather and a ditch, and I am
12-
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
quite happy. Do you think it will be a wet
afternoon ? I am sure I hope so, but the sky
is quite blue and cloudless. What a pity!'
" Ahem ! ahem ! ' said the Rocket, and he
began to cough.
" What a delightful voice you have ! : cried
the Frog. " Really it is quite like a croak,
and croaking is of course the most musical
sound in the world. You will hear our glee-
club this evening. We sit in the old duck
pond close by the farmer's house, and as soon
as the moon rises we begin. It is so entrancing
that everybody lies awake to listen to us. In
fact, it was only yesterday that I heard the
farmer's wife say to her mother that she could
not get a wink of sleep at night on account of us.
It is most gratifying to find oneself so popular."
" Ahem ! ahem ! ' ' said the Rocket angrily.
He was very much annoyed that he could not
get a word in.
124
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
" A delightful voice, certainly," continued
the Frog ; " I hope you will come over to the
duck-pond. I am off to look for my daughters.
I have six beautiful daughters, and I am so afraid
the Pike may meet them. He is a perfect
monster, and would have no hesitation in
breakfasting off them. Well, good-bye : I have
enjoyed our conversation very much, I assure
you."
" Conversation, indeed !' said the Rocket.
" You have talked the whole time yourself.
That is not conversation."
" Somebody must listen," answered the Frog5
" and I like to do all the talking myself. It
saves time, and prevents arguments."
" But I like arguments," said the Rocket.
" I hope not," said the Frog complacently.
" Arguments are extremely vulgar, for every body
in good society holds exactly the same opinions.
Good-bye a second time ; I see my daughters
125
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
in the distance ; ' and the little Frog swam
away.
" You are a very irritating person," said the
Rocket, " and very ill-bred. I hate people who
talk about themselves, as you do, when one
wants to talk about oneself, as I do. It is what
I call selfishness, and selfishness is a most de-
testable thing, especially to any one of my
temperament, for I am well known for my
sympathetic nature. In fact, you should take
example by me ; you could not possibly have
a better model. Now that you have the chance
you had better avail yourself of it, for I am
going back to Court almost immediately. I am
a great favourite at Court ; in fact, the Prince
and Princess were married yesterday in my
honour. Of course you know nothing of these
matters, for you are a provincial."
u There is no good talking to him," said a
dragon-fly, who was sitting on the top of a
126
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
large brown bulrush ; " no good at all, for he
has gone away."
" Well, that is his loss, not mine," answered
the Rocket. " I am not going to stop talking
to him merely because he pays no attention.
I like hearing myself talk. It is one of my
greatest pleasures. I often have long conver-
sations all by myself, and I am so clever that
sometimes I don't understand a single word of
what I am saying."
" Then you should certainly lecture on
Philosophy," said the Dragon-fly, and he spread
a pair of lovely gauze wings and soared away
into the sky.
" How very silly of him not to stay here ! '
said the Rocket. " I am sure that he has not
often got such a chance of improving his mind.
However, I don't care a bit. Genius like mine
is sure to be appreciated some day; "and he sank
down a little deeper into the mud.
127
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
After some time a large White Duck swam
up to him. She had yellow legs, and webbed
feet, and was considered a great beauty on
account of her waddle.
" Quack, quack, quack," she said. " What
a curious shape you are ! May I ask were
you born like that, or is it the result of an
accident ? '
" It is quite evident that you have always
lived in the country," answered the Rocket,
" otherwise you would know who I am. How-
ever, I excuse your ignorance. It would be
unfair to expect other people to be as remark-
able as oneself. You will no doubt be surprised
to hear that I can fly up into the sky, and come
down in a shower of golden rain."
" I don't think much of that," said the Duck,
"as I cannot see what use it is to any one. Now,
if you could plough the fields like the ox, or
draw a cart like the horse, or look after the
128
I /
llr di Juj.
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
sheep like the collie -dog, that would be
something."
" My good creature," cried the Rocket in a
very haughty tone of voice, " I see that you
belong to the lower orders. A person of my
position is never useful. We have certain ac-
complishments, and that is more than sufficient.
I have no sympathy myself with industry of
any kind, least of all with such industries as
you seem to recommend. Indeed, I have
always been of opinion that hard work is
simply the refuge of people who have nothing
whatever to do."
" Well, well," said the Duck, who was of a
very peaceable disposition, and never quarrelled
with any one, " everybody has different tastes.
I hope, at any rate, that you are going to take
up your residence here."
" Oh ! dear no," cried the Rocket. " I am
merely a visitor, a distinguished visitor. The
129
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
fact is that I find this place rather tedious.
There is neither society here, nor solitude. In
fact, it is essentially suburban. I shall probably
go back to Court, for I know that I am destined
D *
to make a sensation in the world."
" I had thoughts of entering public life once
myself," remarked the Duck ; " there are so
many things that need reforming. Indeed, I
took the chair at a meeting some time ago, and
we passed resolutions condemning everything
that we did not like. However, they did not
seem to have much effect. Now I go in for
domesticity, and look after my family."
" I am made for public life," said the Rocket,
"and so are all my relations, even the humblest
of them. Whenever we appear we excite great
attention. I have not actually appeared myself,
but when I do so it will be a magnificent sight.
As for domesticity, it ages one rapidly, and
distracts one's mind from higher things."
130
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
" Ah! the higher things of life, how fine they
are ! ' said the Duck ; " and that reminds me
how hungry I feel:" and she swam away down
the stream, saying, " Quack, quack, quack."
" Come back ! come back ! ' screamed the
Rocket, " I have a great deal to say to you ; '
but the Duck paid no attention to him. " I am
glad that she has gone," he said to himself,
" she has a decidedly middle-class mind; " and
he sank a little deeper still into the mud, and
began to think about the loneliness of genius,
when suddenly two little boys in white smocks
came running down the bank, with a kettle and
some faggots.
" This must be the
deputation," said the
Rocket, and he tried to
look very dignified.
" Hallo ! ' cried one
of the boys, a look at
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
this old stick! I wonder how it came here;'
and he picked the Rocket out of the ditch.
"OLD Stick! " said the Rocket, "impossible!
GOLD Stick, that is what he said. Gold Stick
is very complimentary. In fact, he mistakes
me for one of the Court dignitaries ! :
" Let us put it into the fire ! " said the other
boy, " it will help to boil the kettle."
So they piled the faggots together, and put
the Rocket on top, and lit the fire.
" This is magnificent," cried the Rocket,
" they are going to let me off in broad daylight,
so that everyone can see me."
" We will go to sleep now," they said, " and
when we wake up the kettle will be boiled ; '
and they lay down on the grass, and shut their
eyes.
The Rocket was very damp, so he took a
long time to burn. At last, however, the fire
caught him.
132
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
" Now I am going off ! " he cried, and he
made himself very stiff and straight. " I know
I shall go much higher than the stars, much
higher than the moon, much higher than the
sun. In fact, I shall go so high that '
Fizz ! Fizz ! Fizz ! and he went straight up
into the air.
" Delightful," he cried, " I shall go on like
this for ever. What a success I am ! 3
But nobody saw him.
Then he began to feel a curious tingling
sensation all over him.
" Now I am going to explode," he cried.
" I shall set the whole world on fire, and make
such a noise that nobody will talk about any-
thing else for a whole year." And he certainly
did explode. Bang ! Bang ! Bang ! went the
gunpowder. There was no doubt about it.
But nobody heard him, not even the two
little boys, for they were sound asleep.
133
THE REMARKABLE ROCKET
Then all that was left of him was the stick,
and this fell down on the back of a Goose who
was taking a walk by the side of the ditch.
" Good heavens ! " cried the Goose. " It is
going to rain sticks;" and she rushed into the
water.
" I knew I should create a great sensation,"
gasped the Rocket, and he went out.
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